1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the packaging of goods on a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Particularly in aircraft it is necessary that goods stowed for transport should be firmly secured so that they cannot shift. It is a particular requirement in aircraft that adequate restraint be given against possible movement in the forward direction, i.e. the direction of travel of the aircraft. It may be necessary to resist accelerations and more particularly, decelerations of perhaps 4G or possibly up to 13G. On lorries and other road vehicles the conditions may be less onerous but again there are often circumstances in which goods should be secured so that they are held in position on the vehicle and firmly constrained against possible forward motion.
It is known to package goods for transport on a pallet or other rigid impermeable base and to secure them on the pallet by means of a flexible impermeable envelope which is partially evacuated so as to hold the envelope firmly down onto the goods. See for example British Pat. No. 1,191,921 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,418. The envelope may be sealed to the base by an inflatable tube on the envelope and positioned in a channel in the base as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,214. The flexible envelope in such prior constructions may not be capable of withstanding severe longitudinal forces, for example due to a sudden deceleration of the vehicle, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved form of container which retains the advantages of vacuum restraint using a flexible envelope but giving further restraint against forces due to deceleration of the vehicle.